squadron's F-4Gs were transferred over to the 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron leaving the 480th as a sole F-16 unit. In October 1991, the squadron was redesignated as the 480th Fighter Squadron. In 1993, the Warhawks became the USAF's first squadron to be equipped with the Block 50 F-16s, and was again tasked with the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD). On 1 April 1994, the squadron was inactivated again as part of the post-Cold War force reductions, being replaced by the 22nd Fighter Squadron who had relocated to Spangdahlem from Bitburg Air Base on the same day. Modern Era (2010–present) Spangdahlem Air Base In April 2010, the 52nd Fighter Wing's strength was reduced by one third when 20 F-16CJs and one F-16D were transferred to the 179th Fighter Squadron of the Air National Guard. As a result of the drawdown of F-16s, the 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons were inactivated on 13 August 2010 and formed a single "new" squadron, the 480th Fighter Squadron. The reformed squadron retained the primary SEAD role of its previous incarnation. In October 2010, the newly reactivated 480th FS deployed for the first time to Graf Ignatievo Air Base in Bulgaria to carry out training with Mikoyan MiG-29s of the Bulgarian Air Force. The 480th FS participated in Exercise Red Flag 11-2 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, between 22 January and 4 February 2011. In March 2011, the Warhawks deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn in order to create a no-fly zone over Libya. They flew their first sortie on 21 March 2011, tasked with SEAD. On 2 May 2011, the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron deployed to Iraq as part of Operation New Dawn. Returning in November, the 480th FS were the last fighter unit to support Operation New Dawn. The squadron's F-16s flew 2,259 sorties with a total of 9,000 flying hours during its deployment to Iraq. In March 2012, the 480th deployed to Konya Air Base to take part in Exercise Anatolian Eagle 2012 with the Turkish Air Force, practising SEAD. On 9 November 2012, the 52nd OG set up a detachment (52nd OG Det 1) at Łask Air Base in Poland. In April 2013, the 480th EFS deployed to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, for six months to support Operation Enduring Freedom. The pilots who did not deploy were effected by the 2013 United States budget sequestration